The present invention generally relates to an adjustable lamp support that allows three degrees of adjustment of a lamp supported thereon. More specifically, the present invention relates to a lamp support for a lighting fixture which includes a main bracket with a lamp socket thereon. The bracket is coupled to the lighting fixture for circumferential rotation and radial sliding with respect to the lighting fixture, thereby providing a plurality of orientations for the lamp received in the lamp holder.
Conventional lighting fixtures, such as recessed, track, emergency, industrial, or outdoor lighting fixtures, employ a variety of lamp supports for receiving the lamp of the fixture. Adjustment of lamp position is often needed when mounting a lighting fixture on an irregular structure, such as a sloped ceiling, or in an unusual place, such as a corner or the floor. Also, adjustment of the lamp position of the fixture allows the installer to direct the light in a desired direction.
However, typical lamp supports either do not allow any adjustment of the position of the lamp, or provide only one or two degrees of adjustment, such as vertical or horizontal adjustment. In addition, conventional lamp supports include multiple parts thereby increasing manufacturing costs and making operation or adjustment of the support difficult.
Examples of conventional lighting fixtures with lamp supports are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,664 to Demshki, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,792 to Terrell; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,663 to Ling et al.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a lamp support for a lighting fixture that provides three degrees of adjustment for the lamp of the fixture thereby facilitating installation of the light.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lamp support for a lighting fixture that requires a single part for providing adjustment of the lamp, thereby reducing manufacturing expenses and facilitating easy adjustment of the support.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a lamp support for a lighting fixture that can be employed with a wide variety of known lighting fixtures.
The foregoing objects are basically attained by a lamp support, comprising a support surface, a main bracket member including first and second opposing ends defining a length of the main bracket member therebetween, and an elongated aperture extending between the first end and the second end and substantially the length of the main bracket member. A lamp holder is coupled to the main bracket member adjacent its second end and is spaced from its first end. A fastener member is slidably received in the elongated aperture of the main bracket member and releasably couples the support surface and the main bracket member at a coupling axis.
By forming the lamp support in this manner, the main bracket member can slide with respect to the fastener member and the coupling axis along the elongated aperture moving the lamp holder radially relative to the coupling axis, and can rotate with respect to the fastener member about the coupling axis moving the lamp holder circumferentially relative to the coupling axis.
The foregoing objects are also basically attained by a lamp support, comprising a support surface, a main bracket member including first and second opposing ends defining a length therebetween, a lamp holder coupled adjacent to the second end and spaced from the first end, and an aperture in the main bracket member. The main bracket member is curved, thereby defining a curved path curved about an axis perpendicular to the length of the main bracket member, with the elongated aperture being located along a portion of the curved path. A fastener member is slidably received in the elongated aperture of the main bracket member and releasably couples the support surface and the main bracket member at a coupling axis. The main bracket member can slide with respect to the fastener member and the coupling axis in the aperture, moving the lamp holder radially relative to the coupling axis, and can rotate with respect to the fastener member about the coupling axis moving the lamp holder circumferentially relative to the coupling axis.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description which taken in conjunction with annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.